I want to start a greeting cards business, should I use a plotter or a printer, which one is better?

Answer 1

A plotter draws a picture by moving a pen over the paper. You can only use colours that the plotter has pens for. Filling large areas of colour produces variable results.

A printer creates the image out of millions of little dots that are put down in strips across the paper.

An inkjet printer sprays little drops of ink. This gets absorbed into the paper, or sits on top of glossy paper and can get smeared. They are cheaper to buy, but need glossy stock for the best image and all the inks are water soluble to some extent.

A laser printer holds little dots of plastic powder in place with a static charge and then melts them into place. Colour lasers are expensive to buy and to run but produce a glossier more durable image on any paper stock.